Israeli forces shoot, injure teen during Kafr Qaddum clashes

Dec. 5, 2015 10:19 P.M. (Updated: Dec. 5, 2015 10:19 P.M.)

QALQILIYA (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Saturday afternoon shot and wounded a 16-year-old Palestinian boy with live fire during clashes in the West Bank village of Kafr Qaddum near Qalqiliya, a local official said.

Murad Shtewei, a spokesperson for a popular committee in the village, told Ma'an that Israeli soldiers shot Aqel Ramzi in the thigh in clashes that broke out following a demonstration.

He said that Israeli forces had "ambushed" the march, firing live rounds and tear gas canisters at them.

He said that Ramzi was taken to Rafidia hospital in Nablus for treatment, and that dozens of protesters suffered excessive tear gas inhalation.

Rights groups have argued that methods of crowd control used by Israeli forces often result in excessive, and sometimes fatal, use of force.

Residents of Kafr Qaddum carry out weekly demonstrations to protest the 13-year closure of the main street out of the village, which leads to nearby Nablus, the area's economic hub.

Kafr Qaddum has also lost large swathes of its land to Israeli settlements, outposts and the separation wall, all illegal under international law.